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Note 11 - Commitments and Contingencies | 9 Months Ended
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Oct. 01, 2023
Notes to Financial Statements |
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block] |
(11) | Commitments and Contingencies
The provision for estimated warranty costs is recorded at the time of sale and periodically adjusted to reflect actual experience. The Company’s warranty liability, which is included in accrued liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as of October 1, 2023 and December 31, 2022 was $781,000 and $690,000, respectively. The Company’s warranty expense for the three and nine months ended October 1, 2023 and October 2, 2022 was not material. The Company bears insurance risk as a member of a group captive insurance entity for certain general liability, automobile and workers’ compensation insurance programs, a self-insured worker’s compensation program and a self-insured employee health program. The Company records estimated liabilities for its insurance programs based on information provided by the third-party plan administrators, historical claims experience, expected costs of claims incurred but not paid, and expected costs to settle unpaid claims. The Company monitors its estimated insurance-related liabilities on a quarterly basis. As facts change, it may become necessary to make adjustments that could be material to the Company’s consolidated results of operations and financial condition. The Company is involved in certain litigation and contract issues arising in the normal course of business. While the outcome of these matters cannot, at this time, be predicted in light of the uncertainties inherent therein, management does not expect that these matters will have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position or results of operations of the Company. Additionally, the Company believes its product liability insurance is adequate to cover all potential liability claims. The Company accounts for loss contingencies in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Estimated loss contingencies are accrued only if the loss is probable and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. With respect to a particular loss contingency, it may be probable that a loss has occurred but the estimate of the loss is within a wide range or undeterminable. If the Company deems an amount within the range to be a better estimate than any other amount within the range, that amount will be accrued. However, if no amount within the range is a better estimate than any other amount, the minimum amount of the range is accrued. The Company has various current and previously-owned facilities subject to a variety of environmental regulations. The Company has received certain indemnifications from either companies previously owning these facilities or from purchasers of those facilities. Additionally, certain property previously sold by the Company has been designated as a Brownfield Site and has been approved for development by the purchaser. As of October 1, 2023 and December 31, 2022, no amounts were accrued for any environmental matters. On December 27, 2017, the U.S. Department of Labor (the “DOL”) filed a lawsuit alleging that the Company had misinterpreted the language of the Company’s 401(k) Plans (collectively, the “Plan”). The DOL does not dispute that the Company reached such interpretation in good faith and after the Company consulted with independent ERISA counsel. On January 26, 2022, an opinion was issued by the presiding judge indicating that certain of the Plan language in dispute is unambiguous and would therefore limit the Company’s right to interpret such language. Following the denial of motions for summary judgement from the Company and the DOL on April 28, 2022, a hearing took place on September 13, 2022 to review issues raised in the Company’s motion to amend its answer and its proposed counter claim and general next steps for the litigation proceedings, including settlement considerations. Following the hearing the judge issued an order denying the Company’s motion to amend its answer and proposed counter claim and further requested that the parties prepare a joint status report by November 14, 2022 relating to the schedule for the litigation proceedings. While the Company believes that it has affirmative defenses, in an effort to avoid further litigation the Company engaged in settlement discussions with the DOL, and on March 14, 2023, the parties jointly delivered to the court a proposed consent order and judgment containing the terms of a settlement agreement, which the judge entered into the court record on September 28, 2023. The settlement, among other terms, requires the Company to pay a restoration payment of $575,000 to the Plan, which will be distributed among affected participants of the Plan, assessed a 10% penalty under section 502(l) of ERISA, which allows for the Company to request a good faith waiver upon satisfaction of the settlement, and dismissed individual defendants. The Company recorded a reserve of $575,000 during the year ended December 31, 2022, and the Company currently estimates the range of possible loss is $0 to $58,000 in excess of the amount reserved, representing the potential 10% penalty. The Court retained jurisdiction over the parties for the purposes of enforcing and interpreting the terms of this consent order and judgment. On February 17, 2017, several employees (“Lucas Plaintiffs”) of KapStone Charleston Kraft, LLC filed a lawsuit in South Carolina alleging that they had been seriously burned when they opened a hinged closure and a hot tar-like material spilled out. Among other claims, the Lucas Plaintiffs allege that Sypris Technologies designed and manufactured the closure, that the closure was defective and that those defects had caused or contributed to their injuries. Sypris Technologies’ motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction was denied on February 28, 2020. On November 21, 2022, the Company received a demand for settlement presented by the Lucas Plaintiffs, which was rejected. The trial has been set for May 20, 2024. The Company is continuing to vigorously defend the matter and believes that it has affirmative defenses and any potential damages to be undeterminable. As a result, we are currently unable to estimate a loss or range of loss for this matter at this time. The Company’s general liability insurer has accepted the defense costs. In order to reduce manufacturing lead times, the Company enters into agreements with certain suppliers to produce inventory based on the Company’s requirements. A significant portion of the Company’s purchase commitments arising from these agreements consists of firm and non-cancelable commitments. These purchase commitments totaled $41,758,000 as of October 1, 2023, of which $16,455,000 is due in 2023, $23,810,000 is due in 2024 and $1,493,000 is due in 2025.

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